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There is a season, turn, turn, turn: media blast aims to get the new give way message through

The NZTA, Clemenger BBDO and OMD’s short, sharp mass media blitz to educate all Kiwi road users about two changes to the country’s give way rules that kick in on March 25 at 5am probably won’t win any Gold Axis awards. But the $1.2 million campaign could certainly help save a few insurance claims and/or hospital stays.

Clemenger’s managing director Andrew Holt says the big challenge was making something fairly complicated as simple as possible. And they appear to have done a good job of it, with a focus on the date the law changes and drawings and animations explaining what drivers, riders, cyclists or walkers will have to do when the two new rules are introduced.

Youtube Video

Youtube Video

Another challenge was blasting it out as many humans as possible, which is where traditional channels still come to the fore. OMD’s business director Annabelle Wilkinson says there’s a heavy TV component to the campaign, with two ads explaining each rule change that went to air on 15 March. Print is also being used heavily, with a countdown to the 25th that’s running across the major newspapers, as is radio (in a variety of different languages and with a roadblock across 16 channels planned for the day before).

There’s a question element online and in print, a leaflet drop is planned to go to over 1.7 million homes, and, in an effort to ensure people understand the rules, all advertising drives people to more detailed explanations on www.giveway.govt.nz or the NZTA contact centre.

 

Wilkinson says many have questioned the proximity of the campaign’s launch to the date the rules change, but starting ten days beforehand and running for one week after was based on research conducted in Victoria when their laws changed. This way it ensures maximum awareness of the changes within the budget, while at the same time stopping thickos from applying the new rules too early.

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